


Empathy

by bjelkemander



Series: Âme, Chèvre, Fraternité [3]
Category: Deltarune (Video Game)
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Comfort, Friendship, Happy brothers, I will never give you a sad ending, Sad gote boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 16:34:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16814377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bjelkemander/pseuds/bjelkemander
Summary: Kris and Asriel are bored. Winter is a spooky time. They make good memories at least.





	Empathy

“I’m bored.”

Asriel groaned as you flicked to the next episode of whichever show you’d decided the watch, idly letting the credits flick by as you both stared at the TV. The two of you had been flopped on the couch for hours, waiting for some series to turn up, but by now boredom was starting to get the better of you. Your brother had been home for barely three days, but it still felt like he had just arrived. The two of you had been virtually inseparable so far; spending hours in your room catching up with each other, visiting all your old haunts, teasing each other about how you’d both become even bigger dorks than before. It was like he’d never left.

Asriel rose to his feet, flexing his biceps as he dropped to the floor and began repping push-ups. “Sorry, Kris, it’s just part of training before the next rugby season... I hope you don’t mind.” He groaned as he completed his final rep, staring intensely at the floor before recovering. “The main thing is doing my best.” He panted, tensing his muscles as you glanced over. Asriel had always been much more athletic and better toned than you, though it was hard to see past his snowy fur. He radiated confidence, especially compared to yourself, and could easily chest press you. Sometimes he did so as a prank.

You clicked the TV off with a sigh, staring out the window as you and Asriel sat in silence. You’d really been hoping the two of you would be able to spend better quality time together; while chatting or going to the diner was great, you only had seven days left together, and you wanted to make memories in that time. You were both growing older, and even you’d be off to college in a year or so. It had just turned winter, but you doubted you’d even get a chance to see snowfall with Asriel before he had to head back to college.

Winter had been your favourite time to play with Asriel as a child. He was naturally better suited to the cold weather than you, but you’d both spend hours at a time outside in the powder, making the best of the weather your parents used to complain incessantly about. You were the master of snowmen and snowforts, but Asriel was a strategic genius of snowball warfare. He’d always pack them loosely when the two of you ‘fought’ - the bruises were much more obvious for you without fur - but wouldn’t hesitate to barrage anybody who kicked over your snowmen.

There was nothing like that for you two to do now, though. While the cold fog of winter had finally descended, the snow remained absent, your backyard simply a mess of dull grass and dry, crunchy leaves. You’d wanted to set up the fire pit with Asriel to toast marshmallows and let him show off his pyromancy abilities, but Toriel had refused - she didn’t want you starting a forest fire, she’d said. The hearth in the living room was crackling away loudly, but it just wasn’t the same. You wanted to be outside with Asriel, doing something with what could be your last winter together at home, and not cooped up indoors like you always were.

“Wanna go for a walk?” Asriel asked, tracing your gaze out the window. “My legs are getting kinda stiff anyway. We can grab a soda or something.” You shrugged and rose to you feet, trudging out to the hall to retrieve your shoes and coat. You really did that appreciate Asriel making the effort, but he probably could be having a lot more fun had he stayed back at college. It meant the world to have him around, but you felt guilty for not being able to entertain him. He’d always take the lead as a kid, and while you certainly missed those times, you at least wanted to impress him yourself.

You laced up the heavy winter boots Toriel had bought you - one of the few instances where you hadn’t received Asriel’s hand-me-downs, given your difference in shoe size and radically different foot shape. They’d be well suited for snow, but in this weather, they just slowed you down. Still, they looked good, and even Susie had been impressed by how hefty they were. You thought she might have been a little jealous. Fastening your coat, you joined Asriel at the door, pulling your scarf tightly around your face. “Ready?” He murmured, pulling open the door and holding it for you as you stepped outside.

Your neighbourhood was mostly quiet this time of year - holidays, and traffic in your hometown was leisurely at the best of times. It was late afternoon, and the setting sun had begun to stain the sky as deep of an orange as the leaves at your feet, leaving the world in a warm, toasty glow. There was nonetheless a bitter chill to the air; you pulled your scarf a little tighter as the two of you made your way down the footpath. Asriel could usually get by in somewhat lighter outfits given his natural insulation; even still, he was dressed for the season, and Toriel usually insisted on you both dressing heavily once the snow came.

“Let’s go through here. I think there’s a shop still open this way.” Asriel tapped your shoulder as he detoured toward a large park, the lawn running up a hill for about 100m. The peak featured a wooden gazebo and a monument of some kind among a grove of leafless, skeletal trees. It was slightly ominous - especially as the sun began to set behind the hill, casting it in dim shadow - but you set off after Asriel nonetheless. You were both older now, and while the park might have spooked you as a kid, you weren’t going to give Asriel a chance to tease you about it.

You both paused at the top to rest for a moment, hands on your hips as you surveyed the sleepy town below you. There were barely any buildings you couldn’t see the roof of from this vantage point - a few commercial office buildings, the apartment blocks where Asgore now lived. It was a town where no news was good news and people didn’t see reason to stray from their routine. While you didn’t dislike your hometown - it was the only home you’d ever known - you were glad Asriel had been given the chance to move away for college. He was an inquisitive young goat, and the sensibilities of a town like this just didn’t work for him.

Nonetheless, Asriel was clearly happy to join you in looking down around the town, the two of you simply pausing to observe the sun slowly setting over the tableau. “It’s peaceful, at least.” He said softly, wind rustling his fur. “Everyone back at college is always in such a hurry. It’s nice to just pause.” The two of you stood there for a few moments, etching the scene in your head, before Asriel pulled away to stroll over to the monument. Its purpose of commemorating whichever event had passed was somewhat diminished; the brass spire had lost its lustre years ago. The concrete body was dirty and covered in grime, and the text on the plaque could barely be read.

“There’s something here... Humans and monsters, or something like that?” Asriel peered at the plaque, trying to make out what it said. He took one of the pencils he kept behind his horns and pried at the muck with it, trying to carve out whatever was written. You both focused intently on the cenotaph, as though drawn to it by some strange energy. The sun continued to slip below the horizon, the two of you absorbed in deciphering the meaning of the monument. Neither of you noticed as the final few slivers of the sun disappeared and the spire of the monument glowed brightly, only crying out as the two of you felt yourself falling into blackness.

...

“Urgh...”

Things slowly started to come back into focus as you felt yourself coming to, the pale, ethereal light of the Dark World instantly familiar to you. You sat up slowly, gazing around - Deep streams of light flowed over the towering cliffs like waterfalls, the shimmering flow almost twinkling in the dark. Asriel lay just a few metres from you, leaning prone in the ground. You clambered to your feet, immediately at his side as he slowly began to awaken. He shook his head, trying to clear the ringing from his ears, as he looked up and gazed around in confusion. “Where are we?”

You helped him to his feet, the white goat gazing around in wonder. “Kris... What is this place?” He stepped forward to peer over the nearby cliff, sticking close to you. You and Susie had returned to the Dark World several times since your initial adventure with Ralsei and Lancer, though there wasn’t much to do right now - the Prophecy appeared to have stalled, as if fate were awaiting some other arrival. Still, you’d both been eager to return, and it was a fun way to escape the day-to-day boredom of life in your hometown. For Asriel, though, this could only have been one of the strangest things to ever happen to him.

Glancing down at yourself, your Dark World armour had returned, though far more heavy and solid than your previous set. It featured broader shoulder plates and a greatly reinforced chestplate; the collar dipped up significantly on either side of your head. You were disappointed to find yourself unarmed, but with this kind of protection, you barely needed to defend yourself. You suspected that being as heavily dressed as you were had a role to play in this enhanced new set of armour, but it was hard to tell - it certainly looked robust, in any case.

Asriel was armoured similarly, though somewhat more lightly to reflect his athletic, agile form; the chestplate had a brighter sheen to it, as well. Most notable were the three swords he had sheathed across his back; one seemed to be a long double-edged broadsword, while the other two were shorter, slightly curved chopping blades. He strained under the weight, momentarily taking a knee as he struggled to remove the arms from his back. “Kris, could you give me a hand?” You took the broadsword from him as he tried to redistribute the weight, taking the pommel in your hands. It was well-weighted; heavy, but not unevenly, and swung through the air with a satisfying hiss.

“Looks good, champ.” Asriel teased as he took the two sabres in his hands, giving them a similar swing. The image seemed familiar to you, though you couldn’t imagine why. Putting the thought to rest, you watched as Asriel stowed his blades across his back, glancing around the area you seemed to have fallen into. “We should try to find a way out. It looks like there’s some kind of building over there.” You followed as he took the lead, again, taking a moment to admire the beauty of the Dark World. However this place had come to exist, it had some amazing views, and the incongruent nature and geometry of the realm only enhanced that.

The two of you strolled down the path toward the small grotto, the clearing housing several tall, blood-red trees, along with a crumbled fort. A mysterious glow radiated just beyond, though for some reason, it seemed totally inaccessible. The two of you paused as you glanced around the clearing, trying to find some kind of clue as to how to proceed. Asriel wandered over to the fort, cautiously drawing his blades as he peered inside - he suddenly froze as somebody emerged on the top floor, the shadowy figure waving happily toward you.

“Oh, Kris!” Ralsei almost squealed as he saw you, practically leaping from the fort. He seemed to think better of it, though, as he paused. The young goat instead disappeared into the fort momentarily, nearly pushing past a baffled Asriel as he ran directly into your arms. “Oh, Kris, you’re back!” He cried cheerfully, clinging onto you warmly. Ralsei’s love of hugging had only grown since your first meeting; the Darkner never turning down an opportunity to wrap his arms around you in celebration, comfort, or fear. He was reluctant in letting go, beaming up at you, as he removed his hat to fully reveal his face in light.

You smiled down at the goat warmly, reaching up to gently stroke at his little pink horns. They’d extended slightly since the last time you’d seen him, and he was a little taller as well. He murmured softly at the touch, indulging your prodding for a moment before turning to Asriel. “Hello. My name is Prince Ralsei.” He said kindly, smiling up at your brother. Asriel broke into an equally wide grin, reaching down to shake the other goatboy’s hand. “Hey there, Ralsei. I’m Asriel.” Sensing he may be confused, Asriel nodded over to you. “I’m Kris’ brother.”

Ralsei’s eyes went wider than you’d ever thought they could go, mouth agape as he stared up at Asriel. “That’s your brother, Kris?” He murmured, eyes nearly sparkling as he pored over Asriel. “He’s so cool!” Asriel blushed softly at the compliment, deferring to you for comment. You could barely think of a response. You felt gripped by anxiety. Here was Asriel, about five minutes into the Dark World, already upstaging you in front of your friends, and he wasn’t even trying. You were used to this happening in front of your classmates and parents, but you’d never even really had friends you were especially attached to, at least before Susie. 

Now it seemed that Ralsei was switching to the favoured son, too. He was currently entranced with Asriel’s caprine features, the older goat stopping to allow Ralsei to examine his long, twisting horns. Your brother seemed to possess a natural charm that endeared him to anybody, and Ralsei’s fascination with Asriel’s horns was especially bitter. You’d deeply envied them as a teenager, particularly when people would stop to gush over how virile they looked, just like Ralsei was doing now. They were just another natural asset of Asriel’s that you could never even hope to compete with.

“Do you... Know the way out of here?” Asriel asked as Ralsei replaced his witch’s hat. The young goat frowned sadly, glancing back at you. “You’re leaving?” He murmured, staring at his boots, the shadows reflecting his gloom. While he no longer began tearing up when you said you had to leave, he was always very disappointed by the announcement. Still, the sun setting seemed to be half the reason you’d ended up here, and you knew Toriel was about to start on dinner. She’d be worried sick if the two of you weren’t home soon.

Ralsei sighed sadly before brightening up, clasping his hands together. “Well... At least let me show you the way out!” It always cheered you up to see how eager the young goat was to help. You didn’t tell him enough, but it genuinely made you happier just to have him following alongside you. He brought a kind thoughtfulness and eager enthusiasm to any activity the two of you were engaged with. Despite your anxiety, you resolved to try to remain as positive as you could. You didn’t get to spend enough time with Ralsei either way, so there was no benefit in wasting this time.

Ralsei skipped back toward where you and Asriel had originated from, peering around trees and boulders in search of something. “It’s not too far. I just need to find the direction.” You and Asriel hadn’t had time to survey the area where you’d initially awoken, but it was surrounded by cliffs on seemingly all sides - you’d have had no idea which direction to walk had you mantled one anyway. Ralsei waved into the distance toward what appeared to be an old sentry tower. It had more in common with a lighthouse, though, the hut at the top replaced by a circular walkway and series of interlocking rings, a glowing energy radiating within. 

“You’ll need to focus the beacon through the sigil in the fort, so it can disrupt the glow.” He reached into his sleeve and produced a tattered scroll, passing it to you. “There should be some controls near the beacon. Set it to these frequencies.” You glanced at the runes as Ralsei chattered away - hopefully you wouldn’t need to actually be able to read them. “I’ll stay here with Asriel and help him calibrate the sigil. I can’t wait for you to see this, Kris! It’s gonna be so pretty.” You sighed internally as Ralsei announced the plans - of course he’d find a reason to place himself with your brother. They always did.

Ralsei seemed to notice your frustration, and immediately leaned in to hug you. “I’m so happy I got to see you again.” He whispered, stroking your back. You let him hold the embrace for a moment, savouring its warmth, before releasing and beginning to march toward the distant sentry tower. You felt a little calmer after the embrace, but the anxiety continued to bore into your head, wearing away at you as Ralsei skipped back toward the sigil and Asriel.

~~~

Asriel tread carefully through the ground floor of the old fort, gazing around the alien structure. There were no lights, but it didn’t cause any issues with vision - it was like the bricks themselves glowed enough to see. He wasn’t quite sure where he’d ended up, but Kris at least seemed to know this strange goat monster who’d been hiding in the fort, so not all could be going wrong. He’d been concerned that he may have to come to his brother’s defence in a place like this, but it appeared that simply wasn’t necessary. Still, the two had been gone a little while. Probably wouldn’t hurt to head back out and check on him.

Asriel jumped as he turned to find the small goat right in front of him, beaming up widely. “Hello again!” He said cheerfully, reaching out a hand for Asriel. “I’ll show you what you need to do here.” Asriel hesitated in skepticism, gazing at the figure in front of him. How strange, he thought to himself, that Kris’ friend in this... place would be so similar to himself. He’d remembered learning about the human concept of a doppelgänger in high school English class. They were said to be omens of doom, harbingers of death. To meet one’s doppelgänger was to meet with a terrible fate. The small goat didn’t seem to be a threat, but Asriel resolved to keep an eye on him.

Slowly taking Ralsei’s hand, the two began to ascend the stairs to the temple level of the fort. “You really know the way out of here?” Asriel piped up, trying to break the awkward small talk that had developed. Plus, even if he didn’t quite trust the other goat yet, maybe he could get an idea of what his intentions were. “Of course! Right over here!” Ralsei responded, dancing across to the sigil in the centre of the room. It was a perfect sphere of pure obsidian, gently floating and revolving in a bath of pure, effervescent light. The surface was slick, a dark rainbow seeming to shimmer upon it, like sunlight diffused through gasoline.

“This is the sigil stone.” Ralsei explained as Asriel drew beside him, peering at the dark orb. “The light from the beacon travels through this, and... reaches out to other worlds.” Asriel could barely keep up with what the young goat - what was his name? Rallsy? - but he seemed sincere. He was certainly going to have to ask Kris about what he meant by ‘other worlds’ though. “Only a Lightner, like yourself, can direct it properly.” There was another word he was going to have to consult Kris on. “To focus the sigil, simply think about where you want to travel. Be aware, though... It can only focus on a world if you have strong enough memories of it. The energy is only strong enough if you can feel it.”

Asriel shook his head in confusion, but decided to play along. He needed to get Kris out of here, and if playing Ralsei’s games was going to be that ticket, he was happy to help. “Okay, so, what? I just stand here, click my heels and say there’s no place like home?” Ralsei already seemed distracted by something beyond the arches of the temple, peering back toward the waterfalls of light. “Not yet. I need Kris to give me the signal that he’s ready first!” So Kris was involved in this - that was good news to Asriel. He hadn’t fallen down a cliff or been sent to his death or anything like that.

Asriel sighed and slumped down against one of the pillars. From the tone of Ralsei’s voice, Kris was still going to be a little while. He watched as Ralsei hurried around the small chamber, the young goat inspecting various runes and symbols lining the temple. “So, how do you know my brother?” Asriel spoke up, trying again to get some kind of conversation going. “Oh, he just sort of, fell down here, one day. Him and that mean dragon girl. The human and the monster from the Prophecy.” Asriel raised an eyebrow at that, smirking slightly - he’d have to ask Kris about the Prophecy the goat mentioned, but also just what he was doing in some alternate universe with the Susie girl from school.

“It seems like you and Kris are already pretty good friends.” Asriel continued, remembering the hug from earlier. Ralsei grinned widely. “Oh, we are! Kris is so strong and brave! That’s why I asked him to activate the beacon. He’s so smart.” Ralsei blushed slightly as he realised what he was saying, patting Asriel’s arm. “But I’m sure you’d do a fantastic job too, Asriel!” Asriel chuckled and patted Ralsei’s back in return. “You’re alright, kid. Do you ever tell Kris that?” The Darkner frowned slightly, going silent for a moment in contemplation. “...No, I guess I don’t.”

The two of them sat in awkward silence for a moment, staring into the distance as though Kris would signal at any second, before Ralsei interrupted. “You don’t think he’s mad at me, do you? He seemed to have so much stress in him when he was heading for the beacon.” Asriel frowned as well, his heart falling a little as his brother’s feelings came up. He’d seen how uncomfortable Kris became whenever somebody started touching his horns; he’d wanted to indulge the younger goat boy, but he’d had a bad feeling it wasn’t a good idea to do in front of his brother.

Asriel knew Kris had insecurities about his place in the family. It was bad enough for him being an adopted child, but it was far more distressing when you were so obviously the adopted child in a family of goat monsters. The horns were one of the worst parts, too. Kris has always had an inferiority complex over his lack of horns compared to Asriel’s tough, winding ones; they were naturally a symbol of male strength among caprines, and it was hard for Kris to escape that joke. He truly wanted Kris to have a happy life, and while it was wonderful that Kris has a friend who was so impressed by him, Asriel had to concede Ralsei stroking his horns probably wasn’t the best image for Kris.

Asriel still wasn’t exactly sure what this goat boy’s intentions were, but he felt he had to comfort him. He shifted over to kneel in front of Ralsei, bringing himself to his height. “Hey, c’mon.” He said, wrapping his arms around Ralsei and hugging him gently. “I’m sure Kris will forgive you. He’s a sensitive boy, but it really seems like he values you as a friend. If you tell him how you feel, I know he’ll feel better.” Ralsei whimpered slightly into Asriel’s chest as they embraced, nodding nonetheless. “O-Okay, Asriel.” He said softly, letting his arms linger around the older goat for as long as he needed.

The two suddenly separated as they noticed a flash of light in the distance, a series of coloured strobes blinking out from the sentry tower. “Oh, he’s ready!” Ralsei said, scrambling to the balcony. “Asriel, hold the sigil in your hands, but don’t touch it. Just feel the energy flowing into you. Focus onto it.” Asriel approached the orb uncertainly, arms held defensively in front as though it may explode. “Alright. And just think about memories?” The young goat simply nodded as he scanned the distance for Kris himself, trying to catch a glimpse of the human boy. “Alright, he’s about to arm the beacon!”

Asriel slid his eyes shut and took a deep breath, trying to picture home in his mind as vividly as he could. At least he’d been back in town for a few days already; so much of his mind was now used to the warrens and dens of college and the dormitories. He thought about Toriel and Asgore’s house, before they’d had to separate. He thought about high school, all the A+ marks and rugby games that were now so irrelevant in college. He thought about his childhood, those carefree years before he’d been expected to take up more responsibility for Kris, and all the time they’d shared then.

Asriel found it hard to separate home from Kris. Whether they were children spending hours playing in the snow, or teenagers having to help each other prepare for school, there was a natural order between the two of them. Yes, Kris was a human in a monster town - unusual, though not unheard of - but Asriel loved him as though he were just another goat monster. He was especially protective of his brother, even as a child; he seemed to easily sense Kris’ anxieties and sensitivities, and resented others taking advantage of those feelings to hurt Kris.

But, that wasn’t what Ralsei had done, Asriel thought. He smiled to himself as he remembered the young goat’s small, pink horns; just barely poking through the fur on his head. No wonder he’d been so amazed by Asriel’s own horns; he’d probably never even seen another goat monster before. There certainly wasn’t anybody around beside himself, Asriel, and Kris. Asriel didn’t know who this Ralsei character was, but he seemed to at least have positive feelings for Kris, and if Asriel was making him feel small in front of Ralsei, he didn’t want that to continue.

Asriel gasped quietly as he felt a sudden surge of energy through his body, as though his thoughts and feelings and hopes and dreams were pouring into the font. His eyes shot opened as a ray of brilliant white light shot into the temple, sending the sigil stone spinning wildly. Flickering briefly, individual rays of light in all colours of the rainbow shot out the opposite hemisphere, blazing into the distance from the other side of the chamber. The beads of light brilliantly lit up the sky above the glow like a fireworks display, the ethereal light behind the tree line seeming to hum and transition to a dull orange, similar to that illuminating the town earlier.

The beam of light vanished as soon as it appeared, though from Ralsei’s reaction, this didn’t appear to be a problem. “You did it!” He cried out, rushing over to hug Asriel tightly. “Ha... Yeah.” Asriel murmured, slightly winded, patting the young goat’s head nonetheless. Ralsei grinned upward, gazing out to the remaining flickers of light from the display. “Kris should be heading back now. He probably won’t take too long.” The two goats wandered back to the pillar they’d been perched against and sat down, waiting patiently for Kris.

~~~

You trudged through the dense woodland, trying to find your way back to the fort. It should have been simple enough, just a straight line through the trees from the sentry tower, but you must have gotten turned around somehow because you’d already passed it again twice. Fortunately, there weren’t any Darkners around - you hadn’t yet experienced combat in the Dark World without Ralsei at your side - but you wanted to get back to the fort as soon as possible. Ralsei has already spent at least half an hour there with Asriel, and they’d probably been chatting away the whole time.

You frowned, mentally reprimanding yourself for thinking like that. You couldn’t begrudge Asriel for being friendly with the younger goat. Kindness was in his nature, and Ralsei was very much his twin in that regard - plus, Ralsei was lonely. Meeting another goat monster, especially one as tall, handsome, and well-developed as Asriel, must have been amazing to him. It wasn’t Asriel being around that was the issue, you were just wary of his personality. He tended to draw people toward him. You didn’t want your group to start gravitating toward how cool he was; how much more strong and smart and successful he was than you.

You sighed in relief as you finally caught glimpse of the fort, jogging toward it as fast as you could in the heavy armour. Ralsei suddenly waved from the balcony as he caught sight of you emerging from the trees. “There he is!” He called out, Asriel emerging from behind the pillar to wave down too. The pair quickly disappeared into the stairwell - you’d try to keep them in your sight after this - before emerging from the central antechamber, Ralsei running to greet you almost as quickly as he did initially. The young goat threw his arms around you, hugging on tightly.

“Oh, Kris, it worked!” He cheered softly, turning you toward the distant glow. Your feeling of hesitation to approach the light had now dissolved, replaced by a sensation of attraction to the source. You squeezed back tightly, nodding to Asriel slowly as he waved from behind Ralsei, his own head turning to peer at the glow curiously. “Great stuff, Kris.” He called out, smiling warmly to you. You’d noticed him falling into some kind of trance as you’d fired the beacon - it had seemed to hold him for nearly two minutes or so while the obelisk burned itself out. You’d no idea what had come over him, but you were glad it just appeared to have been part of the process.

Ralsei sighed as he noticed you tugging toward the glow, seeming to understand its inexorable calling. He pushed away hesitantly, keeping a hold on your arms, gazing up seriously as he spoke. “I’m sorry you have to leave so soon again, Kris.” He murmured, a hint of bitter melancholy in his voice. “I know you and your brother must have something important to be doing together. I just wanted to say something first.” You felt compelled to remain with Ralsei for just a few seconds even as Asriel began to drift toward the glow. He took your hands in his gently, your fingers dancing with each other as he took a deep breath.

“Kris... I was talking with Asriel and...” Your heart paused in your throat; you felt it may either sink into your stomach or fly out your mouth if Ralsei didn’t finish his statement soon. You grabbed onto his hands, gripping them tightly as you waited for him to speak again. “...And I just wanted to say how much I admire you, Kris.” He said softly, eyes nearly twinkling as he gazed as you lovingly. “You’re so brave, and kind, and smart, and handsome, and, well... I love going on these adventures with you.” He kicked his foot shyly, face burning a little. “And, don’t tell Lancer, or Susie, or Asriel I said this, but... I think you might be my best friend.”

Your heart didn’t sink or fly; rather, it melted, the massive gravity of the glow briefly overcome by your emotion. You fell back inward, heavily, to embrace the goat tightly. Pressing your face into his shoulder as you clung onto him, Ralsei bleated quietly at the sudden pressure. “A-Ah, Kris!” He called out, returning the gesture nonetheless. You both stood there for a few moments, tightly locked together, before you felt yourself inescapably lured to the glow once again. Ralsei whimpered softly as the two of you broke contact, smiling nonetheless, waving goodbye as you began to follow Asriel into the trees.

You always felt bitter after leaving Ralsei; he was such a sweet and innocent boy, and you knew it pained him every time you and Susie were gone. But the glow made a very good point; it was past sunset, and Asriel needed to make sure he got you home. You smiled as you caught up with Asriel just before the clearing where the glow seemed to emanate from, grabbing his outstretched hand. “Together?” You nodded as you firmly grasped him, taking a heavy step forward. You gasped as the two of you entered the clearing, the glow pulsing before overcoming both of you in a brilliant flash.

...

You blinked as you stared over one another, rather suddenly decoupling hands as you found yourself seated in the gazebo back on the hill. “That... Was odd.” Asriel murmured, glancing around as he tried to work out what had happened. “Does it usually work that way?” You shrugged and shook your head slightly - it was the first time you’d travelled using the beacon Ralsei had guided you to, but the transition was still as smooth. Asriel glanced at his watch, almost biting his lip as he saw the time. You could take a pretty good guess what had him concerned; it was quickly growing dark, and you needed to be home soon.

“You’re going to have to explain some things later on, I think.” He said ominously, though the gentle ribbing he delivered after made you realise he wasn’t being too serious. “Dinner must be ready by now, though. Let’s go, mom will kill us otherwise.” You nodded and followed him from the gazebo, making your way back down the hill toward your house - the soda Asriel had promised you would have to wait. You both walked in silence as night continued to fall, the quiet streets of your hometown lit brilliantly by the cool light of the full moon.

As usual, Asriel was the one to break the tension. “I hope you didn’t think I was trying to show off in there.” He said quietly, eyes still locked on his feet as he paused in place. You turned to face him, standing equally still, a curious eyebrow raised. “The horns thing. I know that upsets you.” He said, glancing up at you darkly. “People at college always ask about them, and I just forget about how you feel sometimes.” He sighed and shook his head, slowly starting to pace forward again. “Your friend, Ralsei, he was worried he’d upset you as well. So, I guess I should apologise, too.”

You frowned as Asriel spoke, quickly taking your brother’s hands. He stopped suddenly, confused, staring at you sadly as he waited for what you may say or do. Yes, seeing Ralsei caressing Asriel’s horns like that had been something that bothered you, but it wasn’t either of their fault. Asriel made mistakes sometimes, but so did you, and yours seemed far more frequent, anyway. Yet, he was always understanding, always ready to accept your side of the story, and always prepared to bury the hatchet when there was no point extending the feud. You could only afford him the same generosity.

Asriel gasped as you drew him into a tight hug, reciprocating reflexively as you pulled in next to his cheek. It was difficult for you to properly express your feelings for him sometimes, but you had the same bond that all brothers did, and experiences like that just a few days ago once he’d arrived home only strengthened that. Sometimes, all you could do was draw Asriel into your arms and trying to get as close to him as possible. He’d been the one to start it as a child, but you’d made it your own, using these deep, emotional embraces to express anything from pride and congratulations on his graduation, to regret and sorrow after a particularly upsetting fight.

Asriel rubbed your back firmly as the two of you shared the moment. Your breaths came shallow and shuddering as you both tried to suppress the raw emotion flowing through you, gripping each other tightly. You held the pose for a few moments, drawing back slightly while still embraced, gazing at each other with brotherly love. You stared deeply into his eyes for a few moments, flickering away only as you saw a small particle float past his eye and land on his cheek. You couldn’t tell properly against his snow white fur, but if you squinted, it almost seemed like it could be...

“Snow.” Asriel gasped as he saw a few more flakes begin to descend, gazing up at the clouds beginning to gather in the eastern hermisphere of the sky. “It must be the first of the season.” You both looked up in wonder as it gently began to snow, the crystals twinkling in the pale moonlight. The fall was nowhere near enough to create the huge banks and drifts you’d frolicked in as children; not without a few days of heavy weather, at least. Still, it was snow, and it was back just in time for Asriel’s visit. The two of you gazed from the sky to each other, Asriel’s eyes twinkling as brightly as the snowflakes.

“It’s so good to finally be back here.” He said simply, taking your hand so you could continue your journey home at the same  
pace. “Merry Christmas, Kris.” The two of you strolled off into the peaceful twilight hand-in-hand, the warmth in your hearts keeping out any chill the snow may otherwise have brought.


End file.
